1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio and/or video apparatus (simply referred to as xe2x80x9cAV apparatusxe2x80x9d below) for a vehicle, and more particularly to a vehicle""s AV apparatus having an operation panel (or control panel).
2. Description of the Related Art
A mechanism that allows an operation panel to be removed from a main body (or unit) of a vehicle""s AV apparatus is known as a theftproof measure for the vehicle""s AV apparatus. Japanese Patent Kokai No. 9-237978, for example, teaches an electronic device that has an operation panel easily removable from a main body of the electronic device and a storage medium recordation and/or reproduction device that also has an operation panel easily removable from a main body of the device. In these devices, the operation panel having various operation switches thereon is pivotably supported at the front face of the device""s main body by a support structure, and the support structure possesses an easy-to-remove function. Specifically, by removably supporting the operation panel from the front face of the device, a driver can take away the operation panel from the device""s main body when no one remains in a car. This makes it difficult for others to recognize presence of the AV apparatus inside the car, and prevents the AV apparatus from being stolen.
The above described pivotable and removable support structure includes a shaft attached to one of the operation panel and device""s main body and a bearing set attached to the other of the operation panel and device""s main body, and one of the shaft and bearing set is movable and detachable in an axial direction of the shaft.
The removable structure of the operation panel disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Kokai No. 9-237978, however, requires the driver to always carry the detached operation panel or to hide it in a certain place inside the car; the driver should pay utmost attention to avoid loosing the detached operation panel. This way of handling the operation panel would possibly result in loss of the operation panel so that it cannot be said a decent theftproof measure.
The present invention was developed to eliminate the above described problems and provides a removal and retention mechanism for an operation panel that has a simple structure and does not require administration such as carrying of the detached control panel and hiding it in a certain place in a vehicle when a driver leaves the car.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an AV apparatus installed in a vehicle comprising a main unit for reproducing an AV signal, an operation panel independent of the main unit and adapted to operate the main unit, and a retention mechanism for releasably retaining the operation panel relative to the main unit with either a front or back side of the operation panel being directed forwards.